Clancy,
The note from Lou Wolgast, top left in your wing root photo, tells me at which VSC these signatures were probably collected. Not the number, but the occasion... Unless Bigiron has done what I recall at Tucson more than once??
Bigiron had had a severe winter flu or worse that knocked him for a loop up until almost VSC time. He wasn't quite as recovered as he thought, and the change from Wichita winter to Tucson that time of year, plus the desert dryness, took a toll on him. He got wobbly while flying (odd, I thought the model involved was one of his Texaco-scheme AA Srs...).
VERY wobbly.
His long-time friend, Art Adamisin (he signed in too, notice?) ran out to the handle to help Mr. D. Art had more than a handful trying to keep him from falling and hurting himself, trying to keep the model flying, and trying to get the wrist thong off so he didn't have to wrestle as hard. Lou Wolgast saw the problem and went running out to the center to cut the thong free. Running, that is, brandishing the knife, so Art could see relief was on the way, I guess.
As I recall, about that time, Betty Adamisin walked up the berm alongside that circle. I've always wondered what she thought when she saw Art and Marvin apparently wrestling desperately at the center, the model still flying, and another guy running at both of them with a knife in hand.
We called for medical help, and the signatures on the NOVI were probably a form of get-well card... Note one comment was, "...We're still waiting for your second Official..."
And the best part is that Bigiron is still with us, and still going like gangbusters!
Topic: Can you name this model airplane?? (Read 1724 times)